Reaction Time: Can It Be Improved?
Reaction Time: Where Peak Performance Begins
Reaction time is a fundamental aspect of human performance, influencing our ability to respond to stimuli quickly and effectively. It plays a crucial role in various activities, from everyday tasks to high-level athletic performance. This paper explores the concept of reaction time, its importance, factors affecting it, techniques for improvement, and the role of Bertec devices in enhancing reaction time.
Definitions
It is important to define the various terms when discussing this topic. Many laypeople use reaction time and response time interchangeably, when in fact they are quite different.
Reaction Time
Reaction time refers to the interval between the presentation of a stimulus and the initiation of the motor response. It is a critical measure in understanding how quickly an individual can respond to touch, visual, and auditory stimulus.
Movement Time
Movement time is the duration it takes to complete a movement or motor response, after initiating it relative to a stimulus. It starts where reaction time ends and encompasses the physical execution of a movement.
Response Time
Response time is the sum of reaction time and movement time, representing the total time taken to perceive, process, and respond to a stimulus. Reaction time is often used to describe this entire process, but they are not the same.
Visuospatial Processing Speed
Visuospatial processing speed refers to the speed and efficiency with which an individual can interpret visual information. It is essential for activities requiring spatial awareness and quick visual discrimination. In lay terms, it is how quickly the mind can understand what the eye sees.
Comparison: Reaction Time vs. Response Time
While reaction time focuses solely on the initiation of a response to a stimulus, response time includes the entire duration from stimulus perception to movement completion. Understanding the distinction helps in identifying areas for targeted improvement.
Global Response
Although not often considered, we also need to think about what happens pre- and post-response time to obtain peak performance overall. Training and experience allow us to position our eyes, ears, and body to acquire the stimulus needed to start the whole response time process. Anticipation and awareness help us optimize acquiring the data to start the process, and once the response is complete, we need to be aware or even predict what the next response that could be required.
Importance of Response Times in Daily Living and Sports Performance
Daily Movements / Risk of Fall
Response time impacts basic daily movements such as catching a falling object or reacting to an obstacle while walking, influencing overall coordination and safety. A concept that is gaining much attention lately is perturbation training, the body’s ability to respond to induced perturbation while walking on a treadmill or on the sidewalk in real life. Response time is a key factor in this type of therapy, which can significantly reduce the risk of falling. (4) It has been demonstrated that improving reaction time and response times with perturbation training can reduce the risk of falling. (5)
To that end, one of the key metrics in evaluating limits of stability (LOS) with Bertec Balance Advantage software is the reaction time (RT) measurement. Once again, response time would be a combination of reaction time and the time it took to shift the COP to the target or in this case movement velocity. The excursion endpoint and directional control metrics give additional information about the quality of the response.
To ensure safety, the Fully Instrumented Treadmill v5 (FIT5) features an overhead harness structure to prevent falls and off-track movements. This is especially important during slip or trip perturbations, which can cause balance issues or discomfort, particularly for those with orthopedic impairments. Bertec strongly recommends using the harness during treadmill protocols, especially with any perturbation protocol.
Reacting to slips, trips, or avoiding sudden obstacles while walking is a semi-automatic response that requires selective attention and inhibition. Task-specific reactive step perturbation training on a treadmill is effective and requires only a few training sessions while voluntary step training (stepping to targets in multiple directions) takes longer, up to 12 weeks (4, 5). The reaction (pre-motor) time is longer in people who fall compared to those who do not. The movement response time is key and extraordinarily complex. The choice of step reaction time between two or more movement choices when slipping or tripping whether on the treadmill or sidewalk requires selective attention and inhibition— key skills for any program designed to prevent falls (6).
Driving
In driving, quick response times are crucial for safety, allowing drivers to react promptly to sudden changes in traffic conditions or potential hazards. In this example, reaction time is the time it takes to start to take our foot off the gas, movement time is how fast we can get our foot over to the brake, and response time is the sum of these two processes.
Sports Performance
Athletes rely on rapid response times to gain a competitive edge, whether it is a sprinter's start, a basketball player's reaction to a pass, or a hockey goalie's save. Elite athletes use enhanced awareness to anticipate the next move, allowing for enhanced data acquisition to start the process.
Factors Affecting Human Reaction Time
Sensory Modalities
Response times vary based on the sensory modality involved. Visual reaction times are typically slower compared to auditory reaction times due to the different processing speeds of sensory pathways.
Age
Reaction and response times decline with age due to changes in neural processing speed and motor function. Regular training can help mitigate these effects.
Gender Differences
Studies show gender differences in reaction and response times, with men often exhibiting faster times in certain tasks. Although this can have an effect on normative data, it has no significance in training protocols or techniques. (1)
Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Concussions and TBIs can significantly impair reaction times due to disrupted neural pathways. (3) Rehabilitation and targeted training are essential for recovery. Concussion patients will often tell clinicians that they feel a step behind or not able to catch up to the ball. More importantly, however, is the increased chance of additional injuries. For example, a football player who gets his “bell rung” should not be allowed to stay on the field or return to play too early, as they may not be able to avoid the next big hit.
Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR), Dynamic Visual Acuity, and Gaze Stabilization
The VOR helps stabilize vision during head movements, which is crucial for maintaining sharp vision and quick response times. The VOR is critical for positioning the eyes in the proper place to quickly and accurately acquire the next visual scene to start the next response time loop. Interestingly, the vestibulo-ocular reflex response times may be delayed with concussion and traumatic brain injury. (1) Training these reflexes can enhance overall performance.
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity positively influences reaction and response times by improving overall neuromuscular coordination and cardiovascular health. (1)
Techniques and Protocols for Improving Response Time
Data Acquisition
Although not often considered, part of the global response is to effectively position the eyes, ears, and body to quickly acquire the necessary stimuli to begin the reaction time phase. This is where repeated practice and experience of subjects such as elite athletes can also separate them from others.
Peripheral Vision vs. Central Vision
The peripheral vision system is our motion detection system and processes visual information faster than the central vision system. Thus, with all things being equal, the reaction time for peripheral stimuli is shorter than for central vision. Central vision is our discriminatory vision, giving us details about what we see; therefore, any response that requires discerning between objects automatically becomes a central vision function. Hick’s law states that the more objects we must choose between and the more similar they are, the longer the reaction time. This is partially due to the central vision being slower and the increased cognitive process required.
Saccadic and Tracking Eye Movements
Improving eye movement control through saccadic and tracking exercises enhances visuospatial processing speed. Again, this is part of acquiring the information from the beginning and is influenced by eye movement skills and the VOR.
Experience-Based Improvement
Reaction time, response time, and visual processing speed are improvable skills, and with the proper training, instrumentation and protocols can show significant improvement. Practicing these skills on an instrument such as the Bertec Vision Trainer (BVT), the Head Mounted Display (HMD) programs, or simple repetitive practice of a sport not only improves response times, but also enhances anticipation and prediction skills.
Visuospatial Processing Speed Training
An example of simple visual processing speed would be the test done in connection with dynamic visual acuity and a gaze stabilization test to make sure the subject can quickly recognize a simple optotype on the screen directly in front of them.
Visuospatial processing is much more real-world; it not only measures how quickly and accurately one recognizes an object but also how that object relates to the world around it. This includes size, shape, orientation, and the direction and speed of moving objects. A good example of this would be tracking a baseball to hit it or judging the distance and speed of an oncoming car. The Bertec HMD software was specifically designed to enhance this set of skills and incorporates balance and shift of center of gravity into many of the tasks.
Movement Time Training (Motor Component)
We often think of testing and training motor skills with a device such as the Bertec Vision Trainer (BVT), which evaluates and trains eye-hand coordination, speed, and accuracy. A light comes on, we locate it and move our hand to touch it, then it moves to a new location, and the process is repeated. But there is much more to daily activities and sports than simple eye-hand movement, of course. That is why often a force plate is integrated into the mix to also measure shifts of center of gravity and whole-body movement response times. If a ball is hit to the side of an infielder, he does not just reach out and grab it; he moves his whole body over to get in front of it.
Auditory Component
Auditory training, such as reaction to sound cues, can enhance response times by improving auditory processing and neural pathways. Auditory clues and stimuli may be integrated with visual clues during many of the training protocols depending on the overall goal of the therapy. Many of the training programs used to improve response times can toggle on and off auditory clues to either combine or isolate these two modalities.
Ready to React Faster? Here’s What to Do Next
Improving reaction and response times is essential for peak performance in daily activities and sports. By understanding the factors that influence these times and employing targeted training techniques, individuals can enhance their overall responsiveness. Bertec devices play a pivotal role in this process, offering advanced tools for isolating and improving specific components of response time. We encourage you to explore our website to learn more about these products and how they would be useful in your practice.
References:
1. Jain, A., Bansal, R., Kumar, A., & Singh, K. (2015). A comparative study of visual and auditory reaction times on the basis of gender and physical activity levels of medical first year students. International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research, 5(2), 124. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-516x.157168
2. Aul, C., Brau, J. M., Sugarman, A., DeGutis, J. M., Germine, L. T., Esterman, M., McGlinchey, R. E., & Fortenbaugh, F. C. (2023). The functional relevance of visuospatial processing speed across the lifespan. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-023-00504-y
3. Scherer, M. R., Shelhamer, M. J., & Schubert, M. C. (2010). Characterizing high-velocity angular vestibulo-ocular reflex function in service members post-blast exposure. Experimental Brain Research, 208(3), 399–410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-010-2490-1
4. Pelicioni, P. H. S., Lord, S. R., Menant, J. C., Chaplin, C., Canning, C., Brodie, M. A., Sturnieks, D. L., & Okubo, Y. (2023). Combined Reactive and Volitional Step Training Improves Balance Recovery and Stepping Reaction Time in People with Parkinson’s Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 37(10), 694–704. https://doi.org/10.1177/15459683231206743
5. Tung, C., Lord, S. R., Pelicioni, P. H. S., Sturnieks, D. L., & Menant, J. C. C. (2023). Prefrontal and Motor Planning Cortical Activity during Stepping Tasks Is Related to Task Complexity but Not Concern about Falling in Older People: A fNIRS Study. Brain Sciences, 13(12), 1675. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13121675
6. Wang, D., Zhang, J., Sun, Y., Zhu, W., Tian, S., & Liu, Y. (2016). Evaluating the fall risk among elderly population by choice step reaction test. Clinical Interventions in Aging, Volume 11, 1075–1082. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s106606
7. Rieger, M. M., Papegaaij, S., Steenbrink, F., van Dieën, J. H., & Pijnappels, M. (2020). Perturbation-based gait training to improve daily life gait stability in older adults at risk of falling: protocol for the REACT randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01566-z
